A Message from the Bishop: Election of General Conference Delegates
Grace and peace to you in the name of Christ. I write today related to the composition of our delegation in light of a new ruling released by the United Metho…
Location: St. Mark UMC, 8441 S. St. Lawrence Ave., Chicago, IL
4-Hour Workshop
4-Hour Workshop
Saturday, March 11, 2023
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
St. Mark UMC, 8441 S. St. Lawrence Ave., Chicago, IL
Registration is now closed.
Cost: $25 (includes lunch)
The content of this 4-hour workshop is for people of Black African heritage and will:
- Define racial trauma.
- Discuss the significant impact that racial trauma has historically had and continues to have within the Black community including the UMC.
- Discuss coping strategies that have been used within the Black community for healing our trauma.
Space is limited.
Should you have any questions, please contact Amania Drane at adrane@umcnic.org.
“I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet, this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. (Lamentation 3:19-22).
Black Healing Collective (BHC) Mission
We exist as people of Black African heritage seeking to become aware of the harmful effects of racial trauma in the Black community and provide resources and healing practices which strengthen and sustain us mentally, spiritually, and physically.
Black Healing Collective (BHC) Vision
As people of Black African heritage and also members of the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church, we work toward a future of learning and healing which is guided by the power and hope of the Holy Spirit so that we become gift bearers of our healing and the healing of others.
The Black Healing Collective stemmed from conversations held in the NIC in 2020 about the generational trauma in the “souls of Black folk.” We choose to work with all people regardless of race or ethnicity but recognize that there is some work that we must do solely with other Black folk to understand the harm done by racial trauma and develop the skills and practice to heal and help others heal. It was formalized by a small planning team and hosted its first retreat on Sun., Oct. 24 - Tues., Oct. 26, 2021 at the Carmelite Spiritual Center in Darien, IL. Nineteen people attended the first retreat.
The initial planning team was Rev. Dr. Jacques Conway, Walton Davis, Rev. Dr. Regina Davis-Bridges, Amania Drane, Rev. Luther Mason, Rev. Pamela Pirtle, and Rev. Dr. Irene Taylor.
“When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” John 5:6 (NIV)
2021 Black Healing Collective Retreat Participants
The Black Healing Collective Retreat and Workshops
The BHC retreat, workshop, and work is a call, an invitation, to evolve as Henri Nouwen suggests, as “wounded healers.” We hope to be gift bearers of our healing and the healing of others. “We are all wounded healers, but our woundedness is in vain if we cannot find ways to become healers of our land….. We must love ourselves enough to take the necessary time to attend to our woundedness. Healing is God’s amazing gift to all. Let us begin our healing.”
The BHC will hold bi-annual retreats (every other year) and 4-hour workshop(s) during those years when a retreat is not held.
- The retreat is 3 days and 2 nights and will delve into personal storytelling, building group community, defining and understanding racial trauma, understanding and practicing healing practices, and worship. The retreat was approved by the Board of Ordained Ministry during the 2022 Annual Conference as a training option for the required clergy anti-racism training per quadrennium.
- The 4-hour workshop will:
- Define racial trauma.
- Discuss the significant impact that racial trauma has historically had and continues to have within the Black community including the UMC.
- Discuss coping strategies that have been used within the Black community for healing our trauma.
Current BHC participating retreat alumni: Tracie Broadnax, Rev. Dr. Norval Brown, Lisa Butler, Rev. Harriette Cross, Rev. Dr. Jacques Conway, Rev. Andrea Davidson, Rev. Regina Davis-Bridges, Amania Drane, Lennox Iton, Leonard Jones, Rev. Luther Mason, Rev. Josiah Montgomery, Rev. Pamela Pirtle, Rev. Tennille Power, Rev. Allyson Talbert, Rev. Dr. Irene Taylor, and Eugene Williams.
Past Participating member and part of the Leadership Team: Walton Davis (deceased)